June 5, 2015: Weekly Disney News Roundup

***Second Star to the Right Disney Blog will be undergoing fairly major changes this weekend. We are changing our name and we are changing our theme to more of a magazine based format. Our articles, the News Roundup, and Weekly poll will all remain the same, but hopefully in a more attractive, user friendly format. We hope that you follow us through this transition***

* Disney and the NBA are developing a new attraction for Disney Springs at WDW to be called the “NBA Experience at Walt Disney World.” It will offer hands on interactive experiences to help bring the game to life.

* WDW is testing new pricing on Rapid Refill Mugs at Pop Century, the All Star Resorts, and Port Orleans-Riverside. There will no longer be 1,2, or 3 day options, only the length of stay option. The price of the length of stay option has been decreased from $17.99 to 16.49 (plus tax). It is anticipated that this will be employed at all WDW resorts later this year.

* The 2015 Epcot Food and Wine Festival will have a new experience for this fall: Remy’s Ratatouille Hide & Squeak Scavenger Hunt. Special maps will be given to lead you through the World Showcase in search of hidden Remy statues.

* Epcot is now showing sneak peaks of Disney/Pixar‘s ‘Inside Out’ at the Imagination pavilion, former home of Captain Eo.

* New DVC member merchandise can be purchased at DisneyStore.com.

* The Emotions from the upcoming Disney/Pixar movie ‘Inside Out’ will precede the Pixar Play Parade at Disney California Adventure beginning on June 19.

* The D23 Expo 2015, at the Anaheim Convention Center, will feature a new concert, Silly Symphony Celebration, on Sunday August 23 at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. It will feature a 32 piece band playing songs from the Silly Symphonies while showing clips from the shorts.

* Disney Channel has announced that a new series based on “Tangled” and with the voice talents from the movie (including Mandy Moore and Zachary Levi) will premiere in 2017.

* Disney will be making a live-action film based on the ‘Night on Bald Mountain’ scene from “Fantasia.”

* Tron 3 has been canceled.

* In October, Disney will release a new high-tech toy, Playmation, that is somewhat different in that it hopes to get kids away from the computer and out moving about.